Declining since 1999, #14,942 for girls today.
Popularity of Nikayla since 1988
Babies named Nikayla per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1980s | 17 |
| 1990s | 361 |
| 2000s | 562 |
| 2010s | 241 |
| 2020s | 37 |
Meaning & origin
Nikayla is a modern American respelling that first appeared in 1988 and saw a brief rise in popularity, peaking at rank 14,942 in 1999. Since then, its use has steadily declined, placing it among the less common invented variant spellings of the late 20th century. While it does not appear strongly in any single state, its pattern reflects the broader trend of adapting traditional names like Michaela or Nikola with distinctive spellings. The name was given to approximately 1 in every 321,453 baby girls in 2025.
Nikayla is a modern American coinage, first appearing in the late 1980s. It is likely a respelling of Michaela (ultimately from Hebrew Michael, meaning 'who is like God?') or possibly derived from Nikola (feminine form of Nicholas, from Greek meaning 'victory of the people'). Its popularity peaked in the late 1990s, reflecting the trend of creatively spelling traditional names with a 'k' and 'y'.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Kayla, Niki, Nikki, Kiki
Sibling names for Nikayla
Names that share Nikayla's style, for a brother or sister.
